Once you have made up your mind to study in Australia, next step is to find the course, university and city you want to live and study. Your decision for studying in Australia may depend on many factors. Many eye the favourable treatment an Australian qualification receive for immigration. If your purpose of study is purely based on getting an Australian permanent residency you should better consult a migration agent before choosing your course. The skill shortage list published yearly by the Federal Government and all state Governments will be a source of guidance in such cases. Otherwise your career goals and interest will determine your area of study.

Once you have decided on your area of study, it is best to contact someone you know to have studied or studying in Australia to get more information about the Universities.  Facebook groups are a good source to find university students in Australia to gain more information, if you don’t have any friends or relatives falling in that category. The best university for a particular field of study may not be the university that is highest rated overall by rating agencies.

The other option is to get information from Education agents and Education fairs. It is best to gather information from these sources before committing to any. There is a lot more information available in the web.

Once you have decided your field of study and type of qualification you are looking for, Australian Government Department of Education and Training website http://cricos.education.gov.au is a good source to find the courses available in Australia and the universities offering those courses.

To gain more information about universities in Australia and their offshore campuses etc https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au is a good source. It is also a good idea to check offshore campuses, as it can reduce your expenses as you can get a transfer to Australia after completing certain courses from those offshore campuses near you.

Another website for gathering information about universities is http://www.gooduniversitiesguide.com.au . But you have to be aware of vested interests and should not fully trust the information provided.

Once you have gathered enough information to proceed, it is time to compare the eligibility requirements for the course. If you meet the eligibility requirements outright, it makes things easy for you. If not there are other options. Most university degree courses offer alternate entry pathways. You may have to take up a pathway course from a private provider or TAFE to gain entry to the degree course. If your pathway program involves completing a diploma, in most cases that will ensure your entry to the second year of the bachelor course if you have the specified grade of marks.

To know more about pathway courses, English language Courses and foundation courses refer our section on that.

Refer our section of Australian Qualification frame work to know more about the level of qualifications offered by Australian Universities.

Gathering information also involves having an idea about the living costs, course fee, and easiness to find a part time job to support your studies ( depending on your financial situation).

Once your ground work reached so far, and you have shortlisted your courses and education providers, you may contact an education consultant or contact the university or the education provider directly to take a final decision and also to confirm the information you have gathered are correct.

  Study in Australia